What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a neurological difference often characterized by difficulties with reading, writing and spelling. It may run in the families and cannot be “cured.” Individuals with this condition must learn coping strategies.

Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence. With the right instruction, almost all individuals with dyslexia can learn to read.  A multi-sensory, phonics based approach is often the best way to help kids learn to read. The Orton-Gillingham, Barton System and/or Lindamood-Bell programs are well known programs that work.

This great Ted-Ed talk provides an overview of dyslexia.

What should I look for?

Decoding Dyslexia offers these early signs of dyslexia:

• Late speech (3 years or later)
• Mixing up sounds in multi-syllable words (e.g. bisghetti, aminal, mazageen)
• Inability to rhyme by age 4
• Difficulty with substitutions, omissions and deletions
• Unusual pencil grip
• Difficulty remembering rote facts (months of the year, days of the week)
• Confusion of left vs. right  

One of the biggest challenges of dyslexia is counteracting shame caused by teasing and misunderstanding. Children are often teased because they can’t read as well as others. Teachers may say things like “she’s a slow reader” in front of the child or parents. Kids know what “slow” means and they often grow up believing they are “stupid” and/or “lazy.”

Headstrong Nation’s Learn the Facts wants you to know the facts, help your child recognize her/his strengths and weaknesses, learn how to talk about it with trusted friends and family and eventually, be comfortable sharing one’s real self with the world.

Dyslexia Assessment in Multnomah County

Oregon Senate Bills 612 and 1003 require school districts to universally screen for risk factors of dyslexia in kindergarten. The Oregon Department of Education provides guidance and training for districts and educators. If you or your child aren't in school or you feel the school is missing something, here are a few of the many assessment and intervention providers in the County.

The Blosser Center - Accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators, the Blosser Center provides assessment, tutoring and teacher training.

Language Skills Therapy - Provides assessment and tutoring

New Leaves Clinic - Provides assessment and treatment in Hillsboro, Oregon

PDX Reading Specialist, LLC​ - Provides assessment, tutoring, advocacy and professional development

How the library can help

There are three valid types of reading: with your eyes (print & video), with your ears (audiobooks), and with your fingers (Braille).  

Audiobooks

Typically easier for someone with dyslexia, the library has thousands of audiobooks on CD and in downloadable formats for people who read with their ears. Library information staff can help you find and use audiobooks.

DVD/Blu-ray and streaming

The library has thousands of DVDs, Blu-ray and downloadable films for people who read with eyes and ears. Library information staff can help you find and use these media.

E-books

E-books are available to borrow through OverDrive to read on your desktop or with the Libby app. Accessibility options include using screen readers, changing text size, turning on dyslexic font, reading in sepia or night mode, and more. When searching for a subject, you can also look for the format "OverDrive Read-along" which provides narration that plays along while you read. The OverDrive help page explains how to find these read-along books and library staff can help as well.

Additional resources

Bookshare e-books have functions for people with print disabilities, including low vision, dyslexia and the inability to hold a physical book. Adults with a library card can get free access through the library. Students can get access through their school.

The Oregon Talking Book and Braille Library is free for any Oregonian with a print-disability including dyslexia or dysphasia.

En los Estados Unidos, es obligatorio que los niños vayan a la escuela y todos los niños tienen derecho a recibir una educación pública gratuita. Además de las escuelas públicas existen otras opciones, usted puede elegir a qué tipo de escuela quiere enviar a sus estudiantes. Infórmese antes de tomar una decisión; revise las boletas de calificación de las escuelas, visítelas y haga preguntas. Recuerde que los servicios de educación especial pueden variar o disminuir en las escuelas privadas.

A continuación, una descripción de los tipos de escuelas públicas y privadas en Oregón.

Escuelas públicas
Las escuelas públicas son escuelas gratuitas para todos los estudiantes, sean ciudadanos o no. Los estudiantes asisten a la escuela de su vecindario y tienen derecho a mostrar sus preferencias culturales y religiosas; también tienen derecho a un intérprete si  lo necesitan. Las familias pueden solicitar transferir a sus estudiantes a un distrito escolar diferente o a otra escuela dentro del mismo distrito escolar.

Escuelas públicas chárter
Las escuelas chárter son escuelas gratuitas y públicas gobernadas por su propia comunidad escolar local que a menudo incluye padres y maestros, en lugar de un distrito escolar. Las escuelas públicas chárter no son privadas ni religiosas. Por ley, las escuelas chárter no cobran colegiatura ni pueden ser selectivas en sus admisiones; cualquiera puede solicitar ingresar, y si el número de solicitudes de admisión llega a rebasar el número de espacios disponibles, se lleva a cabo una lotería para determinar, al azar y sin preferencia, quién será admitido. 

Escuelas privadas
Es necesario pagar para que los estudiantes puedan asistir. Muchas escuelas privadas están administradas por iglesias u organizaciones religiosas. Cada escuela privada tiene diferentes costos. Algunas conceden becas o subvenciones para ayudar a los estudiantes a acceder a esa escuela si su familia no tiene suficiente dinero para pagarla. Las escuelas privadas tienen reglas distintas a las escuelas públicas.

Escuelas en casa o Educación en el hogar
La escolarización en el hogar es otra opción educativa. En esta opción, son los padres o familiares los que educan a sus estudiantes en casa. Las opciones educativas dependen de los padres, pero aún deben conocer y cumplir con las leyes estatales de educación en el hogar. Cada estado tiene diferentes normas con respecto a la escolarización en el hogar. Los estudiantes que reciben escolarización en casa, pueden tener acceso a clases y actividades en las escuelas públicas.
 
Diferencias específicas entre las escuelas públicas, chárter y privadas. En está página de Understood.org encontrará información sencilla y concreta sobre las diferencias entre los tipos de escuelas.

Otros recursos de Opciones de Aprendizaje en Oregón. Este recurso puede ayudarle a asegurarse que su estudiante asista a una escuela aprobada por el Departamento de Educación Pública de Oregón. 
 

A growing body of research shows that time spent outside is good for you and your family’s mental health and that spending time in nature is a great way to boost everyone’s mood. When you think about it, the human brain is designed for hunting, fishing, climbing trees and collecting food. Humans have, for most of our history, relied on nature and spent most of our time in nature. It’s only “natural” that we would feel at home outdoors! 

Many studies show that people report feelings of peace, contentment, and belonging when in nature. This might be because nature works to reduce the stress of cluttered and attention-demanding indoor environments. With less to focus and concentrate on, most people can relax their brain and truly destress, unlike when they find themselves in an attention-grabbing environment filled with television, phones, and other media. 

And let’s not forget spending time outdoors usually involves exercise, which increases blood flow and oxygen through the body and the brain, resulting in an improved mood and more energy. Exercise also increases “happy” hormones, like serotonin.  

So here are some ideas on how to get outside with your family! 

Grow or pick food: Plant a vegetable garden in your own space or at a shared community garden. And depending on the season, there are many places in and around Multnomah County where you can go and pick-your-own fruits and veggies to enjoy!

Bring nature indoors: Collect natural materials (something kids love to do!) and use them to decorate your space. Or find a place to put chairs where you can look out the window and see the sky and trees (great for rainy days!). You can also grow plants or flowers on your windowsill or even watch a video of nature with your family.

Do outdoor activities: It can be as easy as taking a walk together, maybe with the family dog, or watching the stars after sunset. Maybe eat outdoors (or as Fancy Nancy likes to say, alfresco!). You can also have family exercise outside, by jogging together through a local park, playing tennis at a nearby school or park tennis courts, or doing yoga outside. And if you have a 4th grader in your home, don't forget you can enjoy national parks, lands, and waters for free, for a full year!

Help the environment: Your family can take a monthly walk where you pick up litter or volunteer with groups who help with conservation or building animal habitats. 

Notice nature: Again, something kids are “naturals” at (pun intended). Find things you can touch, smell or hear. Maybe keep a family journal of your experiences. Maybe challenge your family to notice up to three things in nature every day! Or maybe try “Forest Bathing” with a local group! 

Connect with animals: Watch for wildlife when you are outside. Maybe hang a bird feeder, bat box or mason bee house where the family can watch. Backyard animals are everywhere! Visit a local farm or The Belmont Goats! (Librarian Jen volunteers with The Belmont Goats and they love visitors!) 

More ideas on why, how and where to get started:

• Outdoor Play: Mental Health Benefits, How to Tips, and More 
• Getting started - using nature to support your mental health
• The Social, Emotional, and Academic Benefits of Free Play for Children in the Summer
• Local parks and nature activities
• Find a park:
  • Fairview
  • Gresham
  • Portland
  • Troutdale
  • Wood Village
• Community Gardens:
  • Fairview
  • Gresham
  • Portland
  • Troutdale
• Conservation and environment:
  • Using Books to Introduce Kids to Conservation with Author Ruth A. Musgrave
  • East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District Events
  • West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District 

Also check out our booklist below for titles about the joy of getting outside.

This article was written for our Family Newsletter, available in English and Spanish. Please sign up here and you can email us at learning@multcolib.org with any questions.

¡La biblioteca te ayuda a prepararte para el fin de cursos!

Recibe ayuda para completar tus trabajos escolares con Live Homework Help from Tutor.com. Los tutores pueden revisar y editar tus escritos y ayudarte a resolver problemas matemáticos. Tutor.com también ofrece prácticas para exámenes como PSAT, SAT, ACT y Clases Avanzadas (AP). Los tutores están disponibles todos los días de 2 a 10 pm; y pueden ayudarte en español, inglés y vietnamita. 

Tenemos varios libros electrónicos y guías de estudio para ayudarte con las matemáticas, ciencias y escritura de ensayos; así como prepararte para los exámenes de Clases Avanzadas. Otro sitio para practicar los exámenes del SAT y ACT es LearningExpres Library. ¿Indeciso si tomar el SAT o el ACT?

Para usar los recursos en línea, solo necesitas una tarjeta de la biblioteca o tu número de Library Connect, que es como una tarjeta de biblioteca. Para usar Library Connect, revisa estos pasos. Si necesitas una contraseña, llámanos por teléfono, correo electrónico o chat entre las 9 am y 5 pm.